TOLEDO, Ohio — The Toledo Lucas County Health Department is making some recommendations regarding Halloween.
The health department recommends that all communities host trick-or-treating activities on Oct. 31 from 6-8 p.m.
Officials with the department said this recommendation is to lessen the chances of potential exposure, while trying to keep everyone in Lucas County as safe as possible.
“Halloween festivities, in addition to other holidays, will be different this year due to COVID-19,” said Dr. Eric Zgodzinski, Health Commissioner. “However, we feel it’s important to have our community celebrate safely. The guidance TLCHD issued provides tips for trick-or-treaters, persons handing out treats, and those planning events."
Below are the recommendations:
Trick or treating
- Perform health screen prior to leaving home do not participate if feeling sick
- If living with people who may be at greater risk from COVID-19 please reconsider participating
- If child is at greater risk of complications from COVID-19, contact your doctor before participating
- Masks should be worn at all times
- Stay with family unit and in your own neighborhood if possible
- Stay six feet away from other families
- Limit one family at a time when approaching participating houses
- Use hand sanitizer frequently during collection
- Collection bag should have a wide mouth to allow for dropping treats inside
- Do not eat any candy while participating
- If possible, wipe off candy wrappers with sanitizing wipes (allow todry) when arriving home and prior to eating candy
- Wash hands before eating any candy
Passing out treats
- Do not pass out candy if feeling sick
- Wash hands prior to passing out treats
- Masks should be worn at all times
- If possible, place table or other physical object between you and trick-or-treaters
- Limit interaction with those outside of your household
- Prepare goodie bags ahead of time (grab & go) and place at end of driveway or edge of yard
- Use only prepackaged, factory wrapped items, no homemade-wrapped treats
Trunk-or-Treat events
- Consider setting up pre-registrationand limit the number of participants per time frame
- Masks should be worn at all times
- Advertise expectations of the community prior to the event (i.e. social distancing, wearing masks, etc.)
- Assure distance between vehicles ("Trunks")
- If able, use physical markings between vehicles and consider one-way traffic
- Wash hands prior to passing out treats
- If possible, only attend event(s) in own neighborhood
